Oil-carrying projectile.



ma. 684,938. Patented ont, 22, 190|.

L. H( VIS.

(HL CRRWHG PROJEGTILE. l

(Application led Feb. 14, 1901.\

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. 'Ulgirrnn Strains Arnim rrrcn.

LEMUEL II. DAVIS, OF GERMANTOVN, PENNSYLVANIA;

oiptnoasrsvme PaoJ-sc'rus.- v

srncrrroarron forming part of Lemie Patent No. 684,918, aerea october a2, 190i.

Application filed February 14,1901. Serial No. 47,234. (No model.)

To tu whom it may concern:

Beit known that LLEMUEL I-I. DAVIs,a resident of Germantown, Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oil-Carrying Projectles, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to the construction of, projectiles for carrying oil to any desired distance from a vessel and for distributing `the oil upon the surface of the water for the purpose of abating the violence of the waves in the path which the vessel, has to traverse or which menace it in any direction.' Devices of this character have been proposed heretofore wherein the action of explosives and time-f uses is relied upon to burst the shell at the desired moment and scatter the contents thereof over the water. Apart from uncertaintyin operation of such devices there is always great danger attending the proximity of explosives with such inflammable material as oil. The marine risksin carrying such articles would be very' great, and in use the danger of explosion in the gun or of ignition in the air, causing dames to be blown back against the vessel or even of setting fire to the oil on the, surface of the water in the vessels path, practically forbids the use of this class of projectiles. A device of this character must be certain and eliieient in action. It must (wi-thouttoo great cost) be so constructed as to withstand the explosive charge of the gun from'whieh it is fired. It should be buoyant and s o designed as to distribute the oil gradually, andthus derive the maximum benefit therefrom.

The present invention and its advantages can best'be explained in connection ,with the accompanying drawings, wherein-- Figure l represents a longitudinal section of a projectile constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the cushion or buffer at the base of the proj ectile.

The improvements hereinafter described (or some of them) may be embodied in a projectile intended to be discharged from a gun or in arocket, the term projectile used in a generic sense.

To serve the various requirements that must be met, the body of the shell is con- 'being' structed of staves of selected wood, prefer ably cedar, put together, -as shown, to form a cylindrical shell. At suitable intervals, as shown at a, the shell is rabbeted to receive a winding of wire, preferably embedded in shellac. At the lower end the body is provided with a head C, set into an annularrecess in the body, and against this head is 4s'ecured, by means of screws b, a wooden baseblock B of considerable thickness. The di ameter of this block` is equal to -the'external diameter of the body A, so that itsdensity'is interposed .between the shock of explosion and the body of the shell. It is also shouldered at c, so as to extend a certain distance within the body and support it laterally. i Surrounding the block B and 04,the lower part of body A (which are rabbeted for that purpose) is a steel hoop or sleeve D. After the latter is put in place a steel disk Eis screwed to the under side of block B. The entire surface of the projectile may be coated with paraffin and plumbago or other suitable composition. This construction is designed to give great strength (combined with lightness) to the base of the projectile, where there is the greatest danger of bursting, and also to diminish the shock transmitted to the body of the projectile from the explosion of the propelling charge. 'As a further safeguard I place at the base of the projectile a buffer or cushi`on,'the object being to give the projectile a gradually-accelerating instead of an abrupt impulse. This cushion consists, as shown, of an outer wall F, of rbber, andan inner wall G, forming between them an annular air-chamber H. The central space I is an exhaust or vacuum chamber. At intervals, as g, openings are/formed in Wall G, these openings being covered with material which will rupture under the force of com-l pression of air in chamberH, so that the initial energy of'compression will expend itself in part in breaking into and filling chamber I; The cushion may be lightly attachedto the projectile, as by strips of glued paper (t, so as to drop 0E after the discharge., The

mouth of the projectile is beveled inward,-

and over the beveled surface'is placed a clampingfring K,which holds in place a cover L of impervious but rupturable mate-rial.

IOO

Moderately thick strong paper will answer,

its surface being protected by a coating of glue or other suitable material from -the disintegrating action of the oil. It is preferred to coat the whole interior of the projectile with glue. J represents a metal or other cap which serves for temporary protection and is to be removed when the projectileis used. During the flight of the projectile there is no great strain on the cover; but -uponv impact which checks the dight of the projectile the forward momentum of its contents will break the cover L. The weightof the materials is such, that the loaded cartridge will have a.

\ specific gravity slightly less lthan water, Aand will therefore float, mouth upward,the major part being immersed. Under the action of Y shown, thisxdeviceis in til-speciaals.

the waves it willtilt from side to side, gradually spillingthe oil. The water entering to I displace the oil will iioat the latter toward the mouth of Athe projectile until it has emptied itself. The upper end of the'projectile is surrounded .by a steel hoop or sleeve It is of primefimportance to protect the projectile fromI -bursting.g-against internal as well as againsteXternal-pressure. When the flight of the .projectile begins, there is agreat pressure of oil toward the base thereof, and in order that theenergy. of this compression may not exert destructive force on the shell I provide a pressure-relieving device in the form of a Vacuum-chambcr whose walls, ora part thereof, willbe broken by the force of the external explosion'v and internal compression. As the form of a bulb M,..off. glass, thin metal, or alloy or other suitable material; It has a-hollow stem m, through -whichtheiair can be exhausted, and to the latter isgflttach'edk a lead `or other clamping seal p,. which serves also vas a weight to sink the bulbfto vthe bottom of the projectile. There'are man-yv ways in which this bulbcan beforined and sealed. Inthe lower part of the projectile and surrounding the bulb Mis a 'cylinder N,.of -wire-gauze, having itsupper and-lower ends/1t turned-outward to' form This serves as a protectionto the bulbffromiinur-iouscontact with the walls of Y Onfthe upper vflanges *n* restsflooselyV a se- 'ri'owiregauze disks o, iive being shown,

though-the number may be greater or less. 'lhejy'areall connecteyatoga sleeve q, fitting loosely in the-projectie. Above this is a second series of foraminous disks similar to the first, but separated-therefrom by a coiled wire r or other suitable means, forming a clearspace between the two series. TheseA -disksserve to retard the outow ofL oil, and,

theirl Vnumber may be such as to givethe rate of discharge desired, or they may be entirely omitted.

As `already stated, reliance is placed-on the forward rush of the contents on impact to rupture the cover L. VIf this should not sufi fice, the pressure-of the water asy the projectile moves through it would eect that re 'sult, and it is to increase the eectiveness of..

lar. material rupturable upon impact.

this pressure that the mouth ofthe projectile is beveled.- To insure breakage, it is desirble that the support of the oil (which does ot quite fill the vessel) should be withdrawn, and for that .reason the space fr is provided behind the first series ofdisks o, so that the oil in retreating from the cover will not have to pass through all the perforated disks. It these means fail to insure rupture of the cover in ,every case, the latter may be attached to the projectile by an adhesive that softens and gives waygupon contact with construction herein de 1. An oil-carrying projectile-comprising a cylindrical body, a' head set into the `lower part ofL the body, block against whichthe head and the end ofthe body part rest. 2. An oil-carrying projectile comprising a body formedof wooden staves having metal reinforcing-bands, a head set into the lower part of the body, and a wooden base-block supporting the `body andhead.

and a thick wooden base-v 3. An'oi'l-car'rying projectile comprising a cylindrical wooden body,.a head set into the lower part thereof, a baseeblock havinga circular shoulderfentering lthe head Aand sup porting bot-h head and body, and a vmetal sleeve encircling the lower part ofthebody '165 and the base-block.

for receiving the impulse of the eirplosicnrA charge, and having a cover of paper or simu:

4. A buoyant oil-carrying projectilecomf prising a cylindrical body and a solid .base` `5. A` buoyant oil-carrying projectile come prising a cylindrical body heaviest at the base so as-to float in an upright position, and cov ered atits'mo'uth by material ruptur-ableuponimpact.

6. An oil carrying mouth beveled inward, and provided with a rupturable cover .across the narrow part of vthe mouthm 7. An oil-carryin g projectile'provided at'its its. projectile having its rizo base-with a cushion or buifer comprising'` a vacuum-chamber having walls or portions thereof adapted to rupture upon the explosion of the charge.

8. The combination with the oil-carrying projectile, of the cushion at the base thereof comprising `an annular air chamber, sur@ rounding a vacuum-chamber, and separatedv therefrom by walls rupturable under the force of the explosion.

9. The combination with the oil-carrying s 1 shell of a pressure-relieving device withinz and near the base thereof.

10. The combination with the oil-carrying` shell, of a vacuum bulb or chamber Within the same, the walls of said chamber being projectile having a rupturable cover, of two series of foraminous disks separated so as to leave a clear space between them. v

14. The combination with the oil-carrying projectile, of the vacuurnbulb lwithin the same, and a cylinder of wire-gauze surroundingsaid bulb.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses z PHILIP MAURo, REEVE LEwrs.

LEMUEL 1I'. DAVIS. 

